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 The Sensual Art of Bellydance - Basic Dance
ASIN: B000055ZGL
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: Absolutely Fabulous!
Comments: I am very new and inexperienced in the art of bellydancing, but let me tell you all, after watching (and practicing) this video only a few times, I have learned a lot, and I do feel the burn. I would recommend this video to anyone who wants to start belly dancing. I like that Neena and Veena show you how the move is going to look, then they go back and do the step-by-step, and gradually build up to speed. I also like the fact that they are not tiny little stick figures either - it's comforting that they show that us girls with curves can shake our stuff too.
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 Belly Dancing I: Beginning Instruction with Mara
ASIN: 0970328702
Customer's Rating: 4
Summary: Easy to follow
Comments: My other bellydance experiences have been the Neena and Veena tapes (I've viewed all of them) and a short, simple community ed class. Mara's tape is a bit pricey for the lenght and production quality, but I really like her teaching style. She breaks down the moves so they are easier to learn. I found it easier to learn from her than from my instructor and other tapes. I've been happy enough with the tape to order her second edition.
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 The Sensual Art of Bellydance - Beyond Basic Dance
ASIN: B000055ZGM
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: A definite must-have...
Comments: This video is a sleek, professionally-shot production in a lush setting reminescent of a Sultan's palace...thick carpeting underfoot, velvet cushions in indolent disarray, the warm glow of candles, richly appointed drapes flowing to the floor, artfully arranged potted palms, and a matching set of beautiful dancing girls sets the mood.
I thoroughly enjoyed simply WATCHING this video-the voice-over was less distracting than when an instructor talks as she teaches, and the camera shots glide smoothly from front, side angles to zoom-in and pan-out. The outfits worn by Veena and Neena are attractive
(midriff tanks, leggings and hipscarves) and allow a good view of how the legs, arms, torso and hips should be moving.
In both the warm-up segment and the dance segment the moves are carefully explained and demonstrated. (I did not agree with two particular techniques...hip shimmies are shown with straight legs, with the knees bouncing forward and back. This can cause damage to the knees over time. I prefer shimmies to be taught in a bent knee posture, which protects these extremely vulnerable joints. Secondly...single hiplifts and drops are demonstrated on the tips of the toes. This is immensely difficult for a beginner dancer-and for many experienced ones! I teach this on the ball of the foot, which makes it easier to maintain balance, and cuts down on cramping in the arch).
The twins show a nice, simple choreography which utilizes the movements taught in the video...once in the workout clothes with a pretty chiffon skirt added, then again in vintage-style full costume!
I REALLY liked this video-the quality was impressive and the price reasonable. (The twin's physiques inspired me to diet)! I recommend this as a practice video, or as an instructional tape for a dancer without an instructor in her area.
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 Belly Dancing II: Intermediate Instruction with Mara
ASIN: 0970328710
Customer's Rating: 4
Summary: Even more fun than the first!
Comments: I own several bellydance tapes by 3 different instructors and have taken one class in person. Mara is my favorite bellydance instructor. She breaks down the moves in an easy to understand way. I also like how she stresses correct posture, which no one else has done for me. She doesn't try to cram too many moves into one session. This tape is fun; even more than the first. Also the look of the production has improved. I have her third tape on order and look forward to any future ones.
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 Belly Dancing with Mara III: Advanced Techniques
ASIN: B000064989
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: An inspiration for beginning dancers
Comments: This is the third in a series of videos produced by Scottish Winters Productions, Inc. Our instructor, Mara, uses the same movements learned in the two previous videos but adds enhancements and tells us how to put the movements together. The format consists of 3 sections of 4 movements each. After each section, there is a dance segment and Mara emphasizes that each of these dance segments is improvised just to demonstrate how you can create a routine even with only a few moves to work with (one of the strong points of this video series).
As she demonstrates the moves to music, Mara uses a "voice over" telling us which steps she is using and giving hints to remember
(e.g., "remember to isolate your lower body"). At the end of the video, Mara performs in costume, once again demonstrating a beautiful, free-flowing dance with a limited vocabulary of movements.
This video is recommended for any beginner who is ready to progress past basic movements since it is helpful to dancers who aren't quite sure how to put movements together. It would also be good for a more advanced dancer who can use the video as a practice aid.
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 Belly Dance - Instructional Fitness Workout Within Traditional Movement
ASIN: B00005UMAW
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: A REAL Bellydance Workout
Comments: This is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I haven't belly danced for a number of years - I don't need instruction, just someone to walk me through warm-ups, cool-downs and and some dancing. She even inculdes a number of ethnic moves, which I really like. This is not for the beginning dancer; in fact she tells you to find a beginner class if the moves are not familiar to you. If you are at least an intermediate dancer and are just looking for a tape to walk you through a work-out, this tape is for you.
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 The Sensual Art of Bellydance - Mystic Dance
ASIN: B000055ZGN
Customer's Rating: 2
Summary: silly simple veilwork
Comments: i bought this video online and i mistakenly thought this video would teach some real challenging steps. I was unaware that it was all veilwork and the title "mystic dance" gave no indication that it was veilwork. I wish I didnt spend money to buy a video that teaches you how to walk a few steps and twirl a piece of cloth. you dont need to spend money to learn how to do that.
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 Discover Bellydance Essentials - Basic Dance for Fun and Fitness
ASIN: B00005QARE
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: Not an expert on Bellydance- but truly enjoyed this set
Comments: Amazon fails to give a description of this item, so let me do it for you. This is a boxed set that includes a video on Basic Bellydance, a CD of Basic Rythums and a hip scarf.
-The video breaks down a simple and sensual dance that most beginners will enjoy. Then it is all put together for you in a simple dance routine. I'm not very coordinated but I was able to follow along with little difficulty. I know that with a little practice, I'll be able to do this dance on my own. By the end of the video, I feel like I did a non-strenuous workout, which is great because I can use some exercise.
-The CD would probably be great if you felt like practicing some of the various moves on your own, or when you're ready to dance without the instructions.
-I am not stick thin (or enormous either) and the hip scarf was a perfect size. It's blue and trimmed with little gold coins that jingle with every movement. It definitly helps you to hear the jingle so that you know you are moving to tempo.
-Like I said, I'm no expert. As a matter of fact, I never had any dance lessons as a kid or anything like that, BUT I found this easy to do and completely enjoyable. Also, I'm a little out of shape and I was able to keep up.
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Discover Bellydance Essentials - Basic Dance for Fun and Fitness
ASIN: B00005QARE
Customer's Rating: 5
Summary: Not an expert on Bellydance- but truly enjoyed this set
Comments: Amazon fails to give a description of this item, so let me do it for you. This is a boxed set that includes a video on Basic Bellydance, a CD of Basic Rythums and a hip scarf.
-The video breaks down a simple and sensual dance that most beginners will enjoy. Then it is all put together for you in a simple dance routine. I'm not very coordinated but I was able to follow along with little difficulty. I know that with a little practice, I'll be able to do this dance on my own. By the end of the video, I feel like I did a non-strenuous workout, which is great because I can use some exercise.
-The CD would probably be great if you felt like practicing some of the various moves on your own, or when you're ready to dance without the instructions.
-I am not stick thin (or enormous either) and the hip scarf was a perfect size. It's blue and trimmed with little gold coins that jingle with every movement. It definitly helps you to hear the jingle so that you know you are moving to tempo.
-Like I said, I'm no expert. As a matter of fact, I never had any dance lessons as a kid or anything like that, BUT I found this easy to do and completely enjoyable. Also, I'm a little out of shape and I was able to keep up.
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 Belly Dance Your Way To Fitness
ASIN: B00007M9FB
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 The Art of Belly Dancing with Joynan
ASIN: 0966579011
Customer's Rating: 3
Summary: 3 Star Rating
Comments: I think that there is a problem here with everyone's reviews. No one should have put down the lady who said this video was utterly ridiculous. Because clearly there is a problem here. I bought this video expecting zil work and veil work after reading everyone's reviews. This video (which is of the same title and same photo's on the front and back) had absolutely no veil or zil work. It did include the part mentioned about the boom box and Joynan rewinding it during filming. It was of lousy production quality, and had the most horrible music I have ever heard (Well- I kind of got use to it after an hour of being subjected to it. lol)
It was also more for intermediate/advanced dancers, a beginner would be so lost if viewing this video
On the positive side, I like Joynan. I had never been exposed to her before I bought this video and I really liked her personality. She was kind, you could tell just by listening to her. I also loved her dancing ability. I didn't think she was sloppy at all. She was very informative and the dance routine she put together for us to do (in 3 different segmants- broken up) was really quite lovely and professional looking IMO. I think the more involved with dancing we get, the harsher we judge other dancers. But, if you whipped out the choreography she did (to diff. music, please) to an audience who were not dancers themselves or even beginners, you would knock their socks off">
The segmant on Tahitian dance was fun to watch, not instructional. The Japanese dance was hmm, boring I would have to say (not instructional). Sahra REALLY stood out (though I thought she acted really space cadetish) when she did her (I would say middle eastern dance but she made it a point that belly dancing is NOT middle eastern dance when she did finally speak) dance, it was great. She was fun to watch! And her tummy coin trick was superb">
Over all, I don't regret adding this video to my library. And I definatly will be learning the choreography that Joynan does. This is NOT one of the first 5 video's I would suggest buying as a beginner, but definatly worth the price if you have just graduated from beggining classes, and are not so Neena and Veena professionally pampered that you can't grin and bear the shoddy filmanship and horrid music.
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